Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Guest Post: Jo Wake, Victorian Cooking

Please sample her unique point of view: we need to slow down and cook the old-fashioned way for great results worthy of the guest we entertain.

VICTORIAN
COOKING

Through
Bob Scotney of Bob’s Home for Writing, I have discovered a
wonderfulseries
of videos. Bob was primarily writing about Victorian kitchens, but I
was more interested in the cooking as well as the reason for the
existence of cookery books such as Mrs. Beeton’s Cookery published
in 1935 which I have mentioned many times in my blog. Today when
anyone makes something which requires stock, they use a can or a
packet of bouillon, most home cooks these days have no idea of how
the stock is made in the first place. I too have fallen into this
practice, I use age as my excuse, but I suppose time constraints are
the principle reason this practice has fallen out of use. The
ollowing video makes me want to go back to basics, although I
probably wouldn’t go so far as using a tammy cloth. This is a link
to a fascinating video which is the first of a series on Victorian
Kitchens:

I
found this video very exciting and will watch the whole series. My
mother was just such a cook as Mrs. Mott although she never worked in
the big houses nor did she ever use an old range as featured in the
video (as far as I am aware). I had never heard of tammying, which
looks like a lot of hard work, I thought using a sieve was bad
enough. But this is what the art of cookery is all about. Not just
defrosting something and shoving it in the microwave. We have lost so
much of the art of producing good food and so much is done for us
anyway. Because of that, we lose the pride of achievement which comes
from producing a good meal as well as the ability to produce food
which tastes so much better than this package stuff.Wise
Geekhas
an article on the tammy cloth. This is why Matt and I love to
entertain, it allows us to stretch our cookery skills to produce
really excellent meals which we generally don’t eat every day.

I
am having a day of stealing, this recipe was from Viveca’s My
Guilty Pleasures and I asked her if I could use it. Very different
recipe, and one I shall certainly try.

2.
Warm honey, lemon juice and butter on low heat until melted. Season
with salt and pepper add some picked thyme leafs. Pour a third of the
honey butter mixture over each vegetable and coat well.

3.
Line a shallow 20cm/8in spring form cake tin with non-stick baking
parchment. Spoon carrots into the tin, spread evenly and press down,
repeat with parsnips and finish off with celeriac the same way.

4.
Cover with buttered foil and bake for 35 min, then remove the foil
and bake for a further 10 min until brown on top.

5.
Leave to stand for 10 min then turn out – cut in wedges and garnish
with picked thyme sprigs.

19 comments:

Amen to cooking the old fashioned way. All of our processed foods and frozen foods really take that taste and nutrients out of food. Nothing is as good as whole, fresh, natural, healthy, homemade food! I'll definitely check out the blog!

I have tried to cook a Victorian but the problem was finding a fresh one. Most of them are either very chewy or all bone. Someone suggested I modified my recipe and made a Victoria Bake-um for Saint David's day.

I haven't tried the recipe yet. I am sorry the picture didn't get included, it looks so much better than it sounds. Its certainly more of a side dish than a dessert cake like carrot cake (one of my favourites). Don't be fooled by the honey. The picture looks gorgeous. I will post it on my blog for tomorrow.

I don't cook plain food - I like lots of flavours in things I eat, but I do avoid anything which has been prepared for sale, they often taste OK until you look at the ingredients which may contain lashings of salt, or pounds of sugar. LOL

Unfortunately Jennifer, you just hit the nail on the head with one word "time". Nobody has any, any more. Well other than me that is, but then I am retired. If one does have time to make the old recipes it can be very rewarding taste wise, although if you read my blog tomorrow, I am talking about a couple of instance where I was severely disappointed.

This recipe is a good one for all those gardeners out there. I like to cook and have too many cookbooks. Have you seen the food show, "French Cooking at Home?" Inspiring--I think Laura Caldwell is from Nova Scotia. And congratulations for being a guest blogger.

These days, I rarely use cookbooks, unless its for a favourite. I frequently go on Google and look for what I want. Hubby has to use cookbooks as he is no good on the PC. Not seen that programme, must look out for it.

I just love your blogpost...I've just connected with you through google reader! I love the Victorian Era, and the history that goes alongside. The root cake is perfect for a gluten-intolerant person like me...thanks!MakingTheWriteConnections